November 2024

Why School Lunch Clubs Matter – Part 1 of 2

It’s been a busy lunchtime at your high school. As a teacher on playground duty, you’re used to seeing it all. Chelsea and Tanya are chatting with a large group of friends as usual, whilst Mick and Sally are in smaller groups or with a few chosen friends.

There are kids who are shy or just plain bored, wandering around, looking for something to do.

Lunchtime clubs are a great way for kids to make social connections, develop friendships, and have fun at the same time!

Setting up and running lunch clubs takes time, resources, and effort. However, many schools report their popularity with pupils (some have waiting lists). In general, school staff champion them because club members, teachers, and school communities reap countless rewards. Case studies evidence this.

According to Janet De Pilla, principal of Brunswick East Primary School, they are “a fantastic way for the whole community to come together.”

Benefits of Lunchtime Clubs

So what do schools gain from them? Research and experience shows that clubs:

Provide opportunities for social connection with peers and relationship building

They create opportunities for students to interact with people they don’t usually spend time with. Friendships can develop between students from different year groups.

Foster rapport between teachers and pupils

Getting to know teachers in a relaxed, informal atmosphere helps students share interests with them and respect them. Conversely teachers gain a deeper, more holistic view of pupils outside academic settings – their quirks, qualities, and defects, including how they learn effectively.

Developing rapport between teachers and learners is crucial. Most students love sharing passions and getting to know teachers as people. I witnessed this firsthand as an ESL teaching assistant at a French high school. Joining clubs where teachers participate can make learners less reluctant to participate in the classroom. Liking teachers can motivate you to work hard if you’re not interested in the subject itself.

Reduce playground behaviour incidents and bullying

Children and teenagers often display challenging behaviours which may put themselves or others at risk. Sue Larkey, an experienced educator working with autistic children, affirms that when schools set up lunchtime clubs, often the clubs initially only run once or twice a week. Teachers see that they help students who are feeling stressed or get into trouble due to behavioural issues. Schools then ensure club activities are offered several times a week at recess and lunch. This circumvents behavioural problems, making playground duty less stressful for teachers. Clubs can be a behaviour management tool.

Support the social and emotional development of disabled, neurodiverse, and neurotypical pupils:

Studies indicate that young people living with disabilities are at increased risk of social isolation and exclusion compared to non-disabled peers.

Children and teens often find social and emotional regulation challenging but this is compounded if you have issues processing and interpreting emotions or social cues. Kids who struggle with social interaction often find lunchtime stressful because people are just expected to “go and find a friend” and engage in unstructured play alone or with others.

Neurotypical students learn how to interact with and be accepting of others who experience the world differently, so it’s great for the whole school community.

Neurodiverse and neurotypical pupils alike appreciate clubs which offer structured activities and opportunities to connect with others. Lunchtime clubs offer opportunities to engage with a small group of people in a quieter environment than a playground, which can be challenging if students are prone to sensory overload.

It’s helpful when teachers identify students who may benefit from clubs but the pupil in question should ultimately decide whether they attend and what club activities suit them.

Foster personal empowerment, student voice, and meaningful connection with school communities:

Participating in clubs can empower students as they feel that adults listen to their concerns and care about them as people, rather than as one of the faceless crowd to steer towards academic success.

If members vote on issues related to how the club is run and what activities they do, students can take on leadership roles, if appropriate. As a child and teen, you want to be seen and heard, particularly when many aspects of your life are controlled by others.

Club involvement helps at-risk students stay engaged particularly if it involves pursuing their passion and discovering their strengths. John Lennon didn’t shine academically at school, but he turned out all right in the end. If Quarry Bank High School had a rock ‘n’ roll club, he may have truanted less, if only to meet like-minded music lovers and musicians.

Reservoir High School principal Andrew McNeil argues that clubs make the school day brighter for struggling students. Furthermore, they can provide that all-important connection to school.

Boost your school profile in the minds of customers and stakeholders:

 As businesses, school leaders and teachers must consider how to make their school stand out. If prospective students see that current ones enjoy getting involved in lunch clubs, they are more likely to want to come to your school. Families will be aware that your school offers learners outlets and opportunities beyond academia. These clubs also embody a school mindset which values children holistically.

Reservoir High School’s Lunchtime Clubs Coordinator, George Lyras, confirms that students are keen to join the school and talk to their parents about lunchtime activities on offer like the weights club. Clubs recruit members annually, with student led-clubs and teacher-led clubs on show at RHS’s Club Expo.

Create lifelong learners:

Passionate club members deepen their love and knowledge of their pet subject or hobby by attending lunchtime club sessions. This reinforces the view that learning doesn’t just happen in the classroom.

If you find speaking Italian in the classroom daunting, you may feel more relaxed in a small group with encouraging peers and one teacher, as opposed to a more structured, academic environment. With a little confidence and patience, you can then transfer this knowledge to the classroom. Learning isn’t a chore if it’s turned into something fun. You can also find music of interest and enjoy hot bands if your club incorporates music videos to explore language and culture.

Improve academic achievement:

Some studies have shown that enjoying relaxed break times socialising with friends and doing what you love can improve overall academic achievement. For autistic students and those at risk of bullying, isolation or exclusion, clubs can make them feel more relaxed and engaged when they return to the classroom.

Provide opportunities to try different sports at your own pace and level:

Some students don’t feel they are good enough to play on school teams. Lunchtime clubs can offer everyone a chance to try sports in a non-competitive atmosphere. Clubs should focus on achieving personal fitness and sporting goals. Non-competitive sporting clubs create healthy habits for people who aren’t athletically gifted or passionate about sport.

Lunchtime clubs also give people a chance to try out lesser-known sports like disc golf, boccia, yoga, table tennis, or European handball – sports they never would have otherwise encountered.

Lunchtime club sports should be modified where possible to accommodate player abilities. For example, schools could start wheelchair basketball clubs which don’t only include physically disabled students. “All are welcome, as long as they play by the rules!”. This could also be a way to explore Paralympic sports and foster awareness of the different challenges posed by impairments.

 Want to know more? Dip into Part 2 next month for tips and caveats to consider when setting up your school’s lunchtime clubs!

Bibliography

“Brunswick East Lunchtime clubs.” [Video transcript]. Victoria State Government. Department of Education and Training.

“Clubs and activities.” International Grammar School (IGS) Website. Accessed 2 October 2024.

“Lunchtime Activities / Clubs.” Chelsea Heights Primary School Website. Accessed 2 October 2024.

“Lunchtime clubs.” Victoria State Government. Department of Education and Training. Updated 20 December 2023.

“Lunchtime Clubs.” [Flyer]. Victoria State Government. Department of Education and Training. Updated 20 December 2023.

“Lunchtime clubs make an impact.” Victoria State Government. Department of Education and Training. Updated 20 February 2024.

“Reservoir Lunchtime Club Final.” [Video transcript]. Victoria State Government. Department of Education and Training. Updated 21 October 2022.

Curacubby Team. “10 Intriguing After School Club Ideas You Can Start In 2023.” Curacubby. 2 January 2023.

Cruickshank, Vaughan, Brendon Hyndman, and Shane Pill. “Bushwalking and bowls in schools: we need to teach kids activities they’ll go on to enjoy.” The Conversation. 16 September 2019.

Gordon, Fiona. “Look for opportunities to scale up small changes.” Teacher Magazine. 12 October 2015.

Larkey, Sue, and Gay von Ess. “How to Create a Lunchtime Club to Build Friendships and Develop Social Skills.” Sue Larkey Website. Accessed 2 October 2024.

Larkey, Sue. “SLP Episode 106: How to Create a Lunchtime Club to Build Friendships & Develop Social Skills.” Sue Larkey Podcast. Accessed 2 October 2024.

Marshall, Leeanne, with JFA Purple Orange (ed.) “Lunchtime Clubs in Schools: An Initiative to Increase Social Inclusion.” Inclusive School Communities Project. Accessed 2 October 2024.

Russell, Dominique. “Global Education Episode 14: Global Teacher Prize winner Andria Zafirakou.” [Podcast Transcript]. Teacher Magazine. 31 May 2018.

Stahle, Tyler. “Students who love lunchtime are more likely to feel belonging at school says BYU study.” Brigham Young University. 14 August 2022.

Writes, Charlie. “Cool, quirky lunchtime club ideas for schools.” Education Daily. 30 August 2023. 

Author
Estelle Borrey
PhD in European Languages and Cultures.